1. Reading - the Ending of World War I

Title / 1. Reading - The Ending of World War I
Description
Keywords
Objectives
Author / M G Callagher
Organisation
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Date
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Focus Questions

1. How did the Assassination of Franz Ferdinand help to trigger World War I?

1. What involvement did different countries have in the war?

1. What role did the United States have in helping to bring about the end of the War?

1. What conditions did Germany expect if it agreed to a ceasefire under Wilson’s Fourteen Point Plan?

Europe Pre-1914

Before 1914 the world had been dominated by the major European powers: Britain, France, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary /
<caption>European Powers in 1914</caption>

World of Empire

Competing Empires
These powers, in particular Britain, France and Germany, were competing to colonise and dominate the world through their Empires
Germany was a latecomer to the scene which caused some conflict with Britain and France /
<caption>Competing European Empires in Africa – Early 1900’s</caption>

Alliances

Two camps
The competing powers set up an alliance system to oppose each other and to support each other in the event of war with the other side /
<caption>European Alliance System in 1914</caption>

How It Began

War inevitable
The European Powers rivalries, alliances and arms races were bringing them closer to war by 1914
Trigger
The trigger, though not the overall cause, was the murder of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire by a Serb Nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia /
<caption>Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand</caption>

The Participants

When war broke out in 1914 Europeans expected it to last only a few weeks. It lasted four years.

Before it was over every continent had become involved and it had truly become a world war

Location

The war was fought most vigorously on the Western Front – BelgiumFrance
Germany also fought against Russia in the East
There was a stalemate with little movement out of the trenches in the West.
Britain tried to break the stalemate with its invasion of Turkey (Gallipoli) in 1915 – This was to become a failure. /
<caption>Trench Warfare</caption>

The Great War

The Great War, as it became known, was also a total war.
All able-bodied men were called up to fight.
Women joined the labour force to replace men sent to battle /
<caption>Recruiting Poster</caption>

The Cost – Table

Nearly 10 million men were killed in direct action

Losses per day in the First World War compared with those in past wars

The Cost – Map

Participants Casualties (Killed in Action)

Russia’s withdrawal

Bolshevik Revolution
After humiliating defeats by the Germans, the Russian Government collapsed in a series of revolutions in 1917.
Eventually the Bolsheviks (Communists) seized power
Withdrawal
Lenin, the new Russian leader, needed to consolidate the Bolsheviks control against enemies within the country
He took Russia out of the war by signing a separate peace with Germany.

• The Treaty of Brest-Listovsk was signed in March 1918.
• The treaty was harsh on Russia who lost valuable land and resources which would be used to assist Germany’s continued war effort

/
<caption>VladimirLenin</caption>

USA Enters War

Wilson Re-elected
President WoodrowWilson was re-elected in 1916 on a platform which included keeping the US out of World War I

• The US had a policy of isolationism ie non-involvement in European affairs
• Wilson was also concerned to win German-American votes

/
<caption>President WoodrowWilson</caption>

Sinking of Lusitania

The Lusitania
The Lusitania, when built in 1907 was the largest steamship in the world
The large passenger ocean liner sailed from New York bound for Liverpool on 1st May 1915

• There were approximately 2000 people on board, mostly American.

Topedoed
A German U-boat sunk her off the coast of Ireland.

• The Lusitania went down in 18 minutes.
• Of those on board, 761 were rescued, while 1,198 perished.

Consequences
Previously neutral American public opinion hardened against Germany /
<caption>Torpedoed Lusitania sinking off coast of Ireland</caption>

German provocation

In January 1917 Germany declared all ships trading with Britain as targets including those of neutral countries.

In February the British gave the American ambassador in London a copy of an intercepted German telegram.

• The telegram came from the German Foreign Secretary, ArthurZimmerman, to the German ambassador to Mexico.
• Zimmerman proposed that in the event of war with the US, Germany and Mexico would join in an alliance.
• Germany would fund Mexico's conflict with the US. With victory achieved, Mexico would regain her lost territories of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico.

Release of the telegram ignited a public furore further inflamed by the loss of four US merchant ships and 15 American lives to German torpedo attacks.

US declares war

On 2nd April Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany

WoodrowWilson took the US into World War I with the aim to end the war and bring a peaceful world

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

Wilson’s Goal

President Wilson, with the goal of safeguarding future generations from war, had already devised a plan based on a 14 Point Programme for Peace

He had offered both sides peace agreements since 1916 but neither had accepted while they thought they had a chance to win

WoodrowWilson presented the plan with the hope to create:“a peace without victors or vanquished” ie without winners and losers

The Fourteen Points

The main points were:

• Subject people to govern themselves and territorial disputes resolved between the Great Powers
• Freedom of the seas
• An independent Poland with access to the sea
• A League of Nations to supervise the peace
• No secret diplomacy
• Disarmament for all

German Collapse

One last push
Germany decided to make one last effort to win the war before the arrival of fresh US troops.
They launched the last of the great German offensives known as the Kaiserschlacht (emperor of battles) in March 1918.
The offensive almost won Germany the war as the British and French were hard-pressed to stand up to it
Fresh American troops were arriving in large enough numbers to reinforce and keep up Allied morale and cause despair for the exhausted German soldiers
Germany’s last hope, the Kaiserschlacht, stalled and collapsed in the mud. /
<caption>German soldiers in the Kaiserschlacht</caption>

Reasons for Turnaround

In the end three factors helped break the deadlock in favour of the Allies:

1. By 1917 the Allied naval blockade of Germany had cut off the flow of food and supplies to Germany.
2. The entry of the USA into the war in April 1917 greatly strengthened the Allied side.
3. The effective use of a new weapon – the tank – enabled the Allies to break through the German lines in 1918

/
<caption>British tank crossing a trench</caption>

Facing defeat

Germany was facing total collapse

There was growing disillusionment in the German army after the failure of the Kaiserschlacht

The Allies were advancing in the last hundred days of the war

The German working class were showing signs of discontent and there was a fear that Germany might go the way of Russia – into Communist revolution

There were also fears that the German Army, now in full retreat, might abandon their positions and join a revolution.

Armistice

The War is Lost
On 29th September the German military leadership informed Kaiser Wilhelm I that the war was lost.
They recommended negotiations for an armistice based on President Wilson’s peace proposals
Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated and Prince Max of Baden negotiated an armistice with the Allies based on the Fourteen Points
Armistice signed
The Armistice was signed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918 /

Summary

Main Points:

• By 1917, the Great War (WWI) had divided Europe into two Camps: Central Powers vs Allies

• The USA entered the war with President Wilson determined to end it

• Wilson presented a Fourteen Point Plan to help safeguard future generations from war

• Germany was losing the war when she signed an Armistice on 11th November 1918 which was based on the 14 points

Online Quiz

Level 1 Multichoice & True/False

Which of the following countries was not a member of the Central Powers?

The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand by a Turkish Nationalist was the main trigger for the start of World War I

How did the British try to break the stalemate on the Western Front in 1915?

For which of the following reasons were Russia taken out of World War I

What was the Kaiserschlacht

What was the name of the treaty that was signed between Russia and Germany in 1917

Why did Russia withdraw from the war

What is Brest Litovsk?

What was the Kaiserschlacht?

On what day and month was the Armistice signed to end World War I

Which of the following best describes an Armistice (multichoice)

Level 2

Match up the “main points” with Wilson’s actual 14 Points (website)

Match the country to the map nr [copy of map]

Level 3

Do paragraph explaining the US decision to go to war.

Prior to 1914 the United States had a policy of isolation which meant that they were unwilling to become involved in European affairs. The sinking of the Lusitania by a German submarine in 1916 led to many American’s expressing anti-German sentiment. The subsequent revelation of an intercepted German telegram alongside the further sinking of American ships led to President Wilson declaring War. Wilson’s main aim in going to war was to bring about “Peace for future generations”. He produced a Fourteen Point Plan to help achieve this aim.

Do paragraph explaining Germany’s capitulation

Paragraph: Casualties Spreadsheet activity

Activity Preparation:

Discussion on how/why the Assassination of FranzFerdinand was a trigger for World War I

Why it Began

How did the assassination help trigger World War I?

Hints:

Bosnia was within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Serbia supported Bosnia breaking away and forming a union with itself and other small Slavic nations to form a united Yugoslavia.

Russia supported its fellow Slav nations like Serbia

How do you think the assassination helped to trigger World War I?

Please note that this will be the subject of discussion in the next class.

In Class Activities

Discussion on the details of the Fourteen Points (ie why did Wilson include them) – given your knowledge of how World War I started

Discussion of questions: What is difference between an Armistice and a Treaty? And…How do you think Germany expected to be treated at upcoming Treaty negotiations

Go over spreadsheet homework activity??

Watch video: “Origins of World War I” (Part 2) – 17mins

Spreadsheet Homework Task Instructions:

Copy the data (below) into a spreadsheet to make two graphs (Recommend using Microsoft Excel)

At least one of the graphs must be comparing data

Make 2-3 comments about each graph

Presentation:

Place your spreadsheet (as a table) plus the graphs and your comments onto a Word document and submit it as homework

REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME

Please note that this will be the subject of discussion in the next class.